The German Bishops' Conference has posted on its website a communiqué
issued by Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg im Breisgau, President of the
Conference, after his Audience with the Holy Father on 12 March. The following
is a translation of the German text.

Today, as happens every year after the spring Plenary Assembly of the German
Bishops' Conference, I had a conversation with Pope Benedict xvi to inform him
of the most important matters. Thus I informed the Holy Father of the cases that
became public last week of the violent treatment of children and the sexual
abuse of minors in the Catholic Church in Germany. With deep sorrow and profound
emotion, the Holy Father took note of my report. It was important to me to make
clear that the German Bishops are deeply distressed that cases of abuse could
come about in the ecclesiastical context. Only a few weeks ago, I apologized to
the victims, something that I repeat once again in Rome today. I informed the
Holy Father of the provisions we have adopted. I am grateful to him for having
encouraged me to put into practice the measures planned with tenacity and
courage.

We wish to discover the truth and to reach a loyal explanation, without any
false interpretations, even when we are presented with cases that date back to
long ago. The victims have a right to it. We are following the "Directives of
the German Bishops' Conference on the procedure in cases of the sexual abuse of
minors perpetrated by clerics" No other country has these directives. They
guarantee both the victims and their parents human, therapeutic and pastoral aid
to suit each individual case. There is an authorized person who may be addressed
on this matter in every diocese. We are currently examining how to improve the
selection of these people.

Furthermore, we are strengthening prevention. We ask parishes and, in
particular, those in charge of our schools and who work with youth to promote a
culture of attentive observation. I am pleased that the Ministers for the Family
and for Culture have organized a large round table with the most relevant social
groups, scheduled to be held on 23 April 1010 in Berlin, which will address the
problem of sex abuse and, not least, also with a view to possible preventive
measures. The Bishops' Conference will of course be taking part it. Two weeks
ago, in an interview with a newspaper, I expressed my appreciation of this
large-scale round table.

A fourth point in the measures we have adopted concerns our share of
responsibility. Therefore we have appointed Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier as
the person especially appointed by the German Bishops' Conference to be in
charge of all matters linked to sex abuse. The Holy Father also welcomed this
decision.

May I say clearly once again: we are not shirking our responsibilities and we
cannot excuse anyone in the cases that have occurred. Nevertheless, in Germany
today a considerable number of abusive actions in the pedagogical sphere are
coming to light that go far beyond the context of the Catholic Church. As
Bishops, this reinforces our intention to seek for clarification and prevention
through dialogue with the greatest possible number of representatives of the
social scene.

It also includes the Church's support of the State judicial authorities in
persecuting the sex abuse of minors. We ask the priests and lay people involved
in our ecclesiastical structures, as well as the volunteers, to report
themselves whenever there may be relevant facts. We will inform the judicial
authorities. We will only refrain from so doing in extraordinary circumstances,
for example, should this correspond with the express wishes of the victim. Since
the competencies concerning the state penal procedure and the ecclesiastical
procedure continue to be erroneously portrayed, I would like to explain once
again: in cases when sex abuse is suspected, there are State and Church penal
procedures. They concern different juridical spheres and are completely separate
from and independent of each other. The ecclesiastical procedure is obviously
not superior to that of the State. The outcome of the ecclesiastical procedure
has no influence on the State procedure nor on the Church's support of the
judicial authorities of the State.

I am grateful to Pope Benedict xvi for his express support of the decisive
action of the German Bishops' Conference. He encourages us to continue
consistently on the path on which we have set out for a complete and rapid
clarification. In particular, he asks us constantly to follow the guidelines
adopted and, wherever necessary, to improve them. Pope Benedict xvi also
expressed his appreciation of our proposed measures. I have come away from
today's conversation feeling strengthened, and I am confident that we are on the
right path to healing the injuries of the past.